Admission
by BethyBoo97
Summary: He's taken to stalking and it gets him the admission that he's been waiting for.
1. Chapter 1

She breezes about the ED going about her usual business, completely unaware that I'm watching her. We've barely had a conversation since she returned despite the nature of our relationship before she left. I've done all but actually talk to her about how I feel, and I can't do that, I'm not sure how I'd cope with a rejection from Zoe Hanna again after having been so close to her.

I watch her interact with Dylan, there's no love in the way she acts and yet I can't help but wonder if she kisses him like she kissed me or if she's as fun and different from her professional self when she's with him. I don't know what the deal with the pair of them is but I intend to find out.

Following Zoe home isn't hard, she's too engrossed in whatever she's doing on her phone to notice. I sometimes wonder if she's kept the pictures of us and if she can't help but looking back at them like I do. It's hardly surprising that she hasn't noticed me as she steps onto the boat, where through the window I can see Dylan handing her a glass. He makes no other contact with her though, if she was mine and she let me that close then I'd never be able to put her down and if the past is anything to go by then it'd be the same for her. She seems to be playing it safe with Dylan and the Zoe I know doesn't do safe, she thrives on risk.

They sit down to dinner and... Oh god, my guard slipped. Seeing her so relaxed, slightly like the Zoe who used to be mine, made me less careful and she's spotted me. Suddenly she's off the boat and standing next to me.  
>"Max?! What the hell are you doing?" Zoe shouts at me.<p>

"Just taking a walk, it's a pretty area you know." I try and tell her, knowing that she's not buying it, she knows me too well. "Fine, I wanted to make sure that you were happy with him." I sigh and watch as conflict seems to pass across her features, part of her seems to be furious but the other part seems to be surprised that I still care so much.

"I'm not with him Max, I am however happy. That's what all of this is about isn't it? The hair and the cheekier persona? You're trying to catch my attention."

"Yeah." I reply casually as if it doesn't matter.

"You can't just follow me, it's stalking Max. What we had was fun but it wasn't sustainable." There she goes again, trying to justify it to herself.

"It could be though, I love you Zoe."

"I don't feel the same though Max." She sighs again, and there's the admission that I'd subconsciously been preparing for. "I don't love you and I'm sorry but you can't make me feel it." She speaks softly as if it'll soften the blow, that's it. It's all over now, there's nothing more I can do but walk away.

**I'm sorry, I didn't overly want to write this but the idea wouldn't leave me alone so here we are, I completely ship Zax if that wasn't obvious by now. If people want it then I could post an alternate ending which is more happy as a second chapter?**


	2. Chapter 2

_She breezes about the ED going about her usual business, completely unaware that I'm watching her. We've barely had a conversation since she returned despite the nature of our relationship before she left. I've done all but actually talk to her about how I feel, and I can't do that, I'm not sure how I'd cope with a rejection from Zoe Hanna again after having been so close to her._

_I watch her interact with Dylan, there's no love in the way she acts and yet I can't help but wonder if she kisses him like she kissed me or if she's as fun and different from her professional self when she's with him. I don't know what the deal with the pair of them is but I intend to find out._

_Following Zoe home isn't hard, she's too engrossed in whatever she's doing on her phone to notice. I sometimes wonder if she's kept the pictures of us and if she can't help but looking back at them like I do. It's hardly surprising that she hasn't noticed me as she steps onto the boat, where through the window I can see Dylan handing her a glass. He makes no other contact with her though, if she was mine and she let me that close then I'd never be able to put her down and if the past is anything to go by then it'd be the same for her. She seems to be playing it safe with Dylan and the Zoe I know doesn't do safe, she thrives on risk._

_They sit down to dinner and... Oh god, my guard slipped. Seeing her so relaxed, slightly like the Zoe who used to be mine, made me less careful and she's spotted me. Suddenly she's off the boat and standing next to me.  
>"Max?! What the hell are you doing?" Zoe shouts at me.<br>"Just taking a walk, it's a pretty area you know." I try and tell her, knowing that she's not buying it, she knows me too well. "Fine, I wanted to make sure that you were happy with him." I sigh and watch as conflict seems to pass across her features, part of her seems to be furious but the other part seems to be surprised that I still care so much.  
>"I'm not with him Max, I am however happy. That's what all of this is about isn't it? The hair and the cheekier persona? You're trying to catch my attention."<br>"Yeah." I reply casually as if it doesn't matter._

_"You can't just follow me, it's stalking Max. What we had was fun but it wasn't sustainable." There she goes again, trying to justify it to herself._

___"It could be though, I love you Zoe."_ I tell her and watch as she looks away slightly, seemingly unable to look me in the eye anymore. "We could be happy, there might be a huge gap between us but we made it work before and we can do that again."

"I'm not looking for a fling anymore Max. At the time I needed some fun, an escape from work." She explains.

"If that's really what you wanted then you wouldn't have picked someone from work, hardly much of an escape."

"Maybe you're right. That's not the point though, the point is that I don't want a fling anymore and yes we were brilliant at it but..."

"Let me stop you there, I can just see us being a serious couple. Sitting down on a sofa curled up, you with a glass of wine in your hand and me with a pint, as we watch rubbish tv together. I love you and I want a life with you, whatever that entails." I explain to her and see a smile tug at the corner of her lips.

"That sounds brilliant." She tells me as she rubs her forehead, trying to ease the headache that I know work gives her. "What about work though?"

"What about it?"

"Things could get difficult and stressful."

"Again, we've managed once. If things get stressful we'll probably argue but what couple doesn't? Anyway making up could be extremely fun."

"I don't know Max." She tells me as she sees Dylan in the boat window, I already know she's fully onboard with my plan, her eyes and smile give her away.

"Can we just get to the point where you agree because standing this close to you and not kissing you is killing me?"

"Who said I was going to agree?" She is almost whispering as her face seems to creep closer to mine and suddenly I can't wait any longer to kiss her. "Shall we go back to yours?" She asks winking at me.

"Robyn and Lofty are at work so yeah let's go. I've missed you baby." I tell her as I pull her even closer and kiss her again.

"I missed you too." Zoe sighs happily as she runs back to the boat, grabs her handbag and in seconds in back in my arms.

**So here's your alternate ending, everything in italics is the same as the previous ending. **

**Beth**


End file.
